Spring Season - Week Six - March 31st

8:00pm: Yaqeen vs Emaan
With five games played and no wins to brag about, it's odd to see how things have shaped for Yaqeen thus far.  Last week, the orange shirts absorbed another drubbing to their already dismal record.  Now it's unfortunate that Yaqeen was short benched but the talent that's present on team orange shouldn't reflect their track record, at least that's what we assume.  Idrees Deen, Humza Chaudhry and GM Arsalan Mian need to get things going before time runs out.  A win would be nourishing but that all depends with the type of hunger Yaqeen comes out with. Can Yaqeen overcome Emaan?

Emaan was left shell shocked after falling to Taqwa in a 2-0 defeat, marking the team's first loss of the season. Now it isn't all doom and gloom for the green shirts but if that play persists then Captain Adeel Awan won't be a happy camper.  Emaan is about hustle and smarts, about making 16 guys feel like a hundred, and they've achieved that till last week.  GM Furqan Salam and Waqar Khan need to set the tone and help the orange shirts get back in the win column.  Goaltender Yusuf Kapoor has shined each game and is definitely a part of the discussion for best goaltender. Will Emaan be able to bounce back?

9:00pm: Sabr vs Haya
You gotta love what's going on in Sabr land.  After beating Yaqeen in a 4-0 smacking, GM Naiem Malik's army is riding off a two game win streak and now faces the bottom feeder Haya.  The red shirts are playing their system and most importantly receiving solid net-minding by Ahmad Mobin. Mobin situates himself as the leader of the goalie stats and looks to silence Haya this week.  Dawood Ciombar and Ali Malik have been a bit of a surprise this season.   The Sabr duo have Ali Malik leading the points and Dawood Ciombar leading the goals.  Team red is still pushing pace in trying to finish first place. Will Sabr walk over Haya?

A majority of teams have found their rhythm and left the station, but unfortunately Haya hasn't even gotten on the tracks.  The grey shirts are seeded in the bottom of the food chain with Yaqeen and need to start their engines now.  The only positive thing going for them is the one point cushion on Yaqeen in the standings.  Haya can't treat every loss as "water under the bridge."  As bland as it sounds, they need points. GM Naeem Akhtar needs to recollect and get the team going before time expires. Will Haya upset Sabr and earn their first win? It's conceivable but will it happen?

10:00pm: Taqwa vs Ihsan
A short bench is unbearable but can sometimes work to your advantage.  The blue shirts had a taxing workout but eventually made a statement 2-0 win over first place Emaan.  GM Yasir Hussain notched a shutout and now leads his tribe to tango with the Soliman’s of Ihsan.  Taqwa has had many avenues to their success.  Upfront Farooq Sani and Saqib Khokhar have been merciless to their opponents but the most resilient has been Adil Patel.  Patel has 6 points in his last 4 games and hasn’t looked back.  Saajid Bhayat and Naveed Mohammad will do the heavy lifting defensively as Taqwa tries to climb the standings. Can Taqwa beat Ihsan?

Ihsan is unbeaten in their last three games and are looking to prolong their successful ride.  The white shirts came off a strong 3-1 win against Yaqeen and now confront a sizzling Taqwa team.  Forget about the Soliman's, the Malton posse of Taqwa, this is honestly going to be a goalie showdown between Yasir Hussain and Zaid Majoo.  Both goalies are playing hotter than a tandoor and can crawl higher up the standings with a huge win. The Soliman's continue their offensive bursts while Farrukh Khan and Rayhan Malik dominate the back end.  Will Ihsan be able to solve Taqwa?

Spring Season - Week Five - March 24th

8:00pm: Ihsan vs Haya
A huge part of why Ihsan and Haya find themselves in the position they are in is their struggles’ on the offensive end.  Both teams combined have scored nine goals, to put things in perspective, the top two goal-scorers Salman Alvi (Emaan) and Dawood Ciombar (Sabr) have 10 goals combined.  In Week Four, Ihsan picked up a huge two points against Yaqeen, giving them their first win of the season.  Tonight, they try to build off of this momentum in a pivotal game in the standings with Haya.  A win here can move them closer to the cluster of teams at the top whereas a loss drops them into the final playoff spot.  In the meanwhile, Haya lost a close encounter with Emaan last week with Salman Alvi (Emaan) providing the dagger.  Win-less thus far into the season, this game is crucial for Haya as they are currently hanging onto the last playoff spot by a thread.

9:00pm: Sabr vs Yaqeen
How the strong become weak and the weak become strong!  It is a reversal of last season as Sabr is eyeing this game as an opportunity to close the three-point spread or the very least keep pace with first-place Emaan.  On the other hand, Yaqeen is experiencing what Sabr felt last season having to claw and fight for their playoff lives.  Yaqeen must be mentally beat down after getting shutout twice (first by Ihsan and then by Taqwa) last Friday.  A win for Yaqeen can vault them into the mix of things.  However a loss tonight means they will be without a win through the first half of the season which would be devastating blow to last season’s finalist.

10:00pm: Emaan vs Taqwa
Last week, Taqwa was Jekyll and Hyde.  From getting demolished by Sabr where they surrendered six goals to shutting out Yaqeen the very next game.  Having played the least amount of games, a Taqwa win tonight can put their team in the conversation and make things interesting at the top of the standings.  This game for Emaan completes a circuit (facing the other teams).  Not having a loss through six-games is an impressive feat considered they would have squared up against the rest of the league at least once.

Spring Season - Week Four - March 17th

8:00pm: Emaan vs Haya
Emaan comes off a successful doubleheader after claiming 3 out of 4 points against Ihsan and Sabr. Team green's first line of Waqar Khan, Arif Bijabhai and GM Furqan Salam continue to be the threats upfront and have received solid support by the zealous Abdu Sharkawy. Emaan may not be churning goals out at an alarming rate, but they've managed to batten down the hatches with Salman Khalid and Adeel Awan tending the blue line. Goaltender Yusuf Kapoor has kept his team in all games and has a daunting task of taming a hungry Haya team this week. Can Emaan stay elevated in the standings with a solid win over Haya?

Members of Haya must be in disbelief. Two games have evaporated and the grey shirts have yet to scratch the surface of victory. I mean it's not all doom and gloom for Haya, they do have two equalizers and are still a competitive team. They need to be able to hold on to a lead and complete their defensive assignments. Last week's game versus Yaqeen was a prime example of their defensive breakdowns. GM Naeem Akhtar will have to rally his troops and channel some motivation into the squad. Will Haya be able to tighten up the back end and serve up a big win?

9:00pm: Yaqeen vs Ihsan
After getting roasted (7-1) some time ago by Emaan, Yaqeen was eager for a bounce back and faced Haya. It was the same story for first period, the usual back and forth, but the tale took a sudden twist. Junaid Mohammad's equalizer with 3.5 seconds left on the clock sent the team into a frenzy. Sure it felt like a win but the real question is; what does Yaqeen do with this momentum? Zafar Rashid's return was the injection Yaqeen needed, but can the remaining cast be strong enough against Ihsan. GM Arsalan Mian, Humza Chaudhry and Idrees Deen are expected to give their best while netminder Kaunain Saiyed hopes to remain collected between the pipes. Will Yaqeen be able to get their first win?

Ihsan reels off another tie game with Emaan and look for a rebound into the win column versus Yaqeen. The white shirts, who are winless in three, put up a valiant effort versus Emaan but eventually felt the sting as the win turned into a tie late in the second period. Unlike last season, Ihsan has thus far faced a setback and is still searching for their first win. GM Yousuf Soliman might want to give brother Osama Soliman an ultimatum to play, cause they dearly miss his offensive prowess. Regardless, it's anticipated that Ihsan will come out hungry versus Yaqeen. Which team will get their first win off the season?

10:00pm: Taqwa vs Sabr
Taqwa made their season debut with backup netminder Sheraz Mehmood minding the twine. The game drifted in Sabr's favour but slowly shifted currents with Taqwa hitting the right pressure points late in the game.  Yasir Habib and Farooq Sani scored critical goals with stalwart Adil Patel pocketing a two point night including the game winning goal.  Sheraz Mahmood turned away 21 shots and handed Sabr their first loss of the season. Taqwa gets a rematch with Sabr in their first of a double header and will need buckets of Gatorade during shifts. With last week's dramatic finish, you know this game will have more action than a Michael Bay movie. Can Taqwa thwart off Sabr again?

Sabr had a rough ride last week and need to accumulate some points to their record. Losers of their double header, team red needs to redeem themselves as Taqwa looms for the series sweep. The red shirts have shown signs of life with Dawood Ciombar, Yasir Malik and Akib Malik doing their due diligence. Netminder Ahmad Mobin has given his team a chance to win every game, but this squad just can't make it happen. Defensively Sabr taunts some big names and those big names need to step up to shutdown Taqwa, or else it'll be lights out. Can Sabr silence Taqwa and grab a win?

11:00pm: Taqwa vs Yaqeen
Back to back double headers aren't fun (for some) but they are a reality this season, no matter where you play. Taqwa gets to experience what Sabr endured last week and it might work to their favour. There's a plethora of young guys on team teal that'll challenge their stamina, but the same applies for rivals. Yaqeen is fortunate to have an hour break before they collide with Taqwa. The yellow shirts are in dire need of a win and will need to pace themselves versus Taqwa. It'll be interesting to see which team will go the extra mile to seal the deal.

Spring Season - Week Three - March 10th

8:00 pm: Haya vs Yaqeen
Haya was  off  in  Week  Two; in Week One,  their  goaltender, Khalid  Mufti  stole  the  show earning him the First Star honours of that week.  A lot of members from the Haya team decided to join last week’s pickup session.  Atif Mian, Arssal Shahabuddin, Kashif Siddiqui, Azim Siddique and Naeem Akhtar took part in the optional game.  It was a smart move to get a run in as opposed to being inactive for two weeks.  Taking advantage of the extra playing time will undoubtedly be beneficial in establishing team camaraderie  and chemistry.  They now face Yaqeen, a team coming off an embarrassing performance in Week Two against Emaan.  For Yaqeen it is simple, forget what happened last week and just move on, lots of season left.  This is a prime example where the leadership skills of Junaid Mohammad are needed to help his team regain their confidence.

9:00 pm: Emaan vs Ihsan
In Week Two, Emaan  were  dishing  out  a  beat  down  whereas  Ihsan  were  on  a  receiving end of one.  The defending champions, were blitzed last week resulting  in their goaltender Zaid Majoo to  call  out  his  team  during  the  game.  How  does  Drake  and  company  respond  to  a situation so foreign to them?  Just like Yaqeen, they just need to forget about last week.  Ihsan is probably itching  to  get  back  on  the  floor  to  re-establish  that  they  are  still  the  kings of  I-Slam.  They can take solace in the fact that they tied Emaan in the first week of the season (score: 1-1) without two of  their  top  players in Farrukh  Khan and Osama  Soliman.   However,  Emaan  was without one of their superstars that game as well, Furqan Salam.  Salam adds another threat upfront  with Arif  Bijabhai and Waqar  Khan.   But  what  is  scary  about  this  team  is  the emergence  of  their  secondary  scoring  with Salman  Alvi potting two goals  in  his  last  game.  Nonetheless, the fact remains that in the last three games against Ihsan, Emaan has not been able to beat them.  Is it mental for Emaan or is Ihsan just the better team?  Another story that will develop  later  in  the  night  is  Emaan  will  be  right  back  in  action  an  hour  from  the  conclusion  of this game.

10:00 pm: Sabr vs Taqwa
I  don’t  think  anyone  could  have  predicted  Sabr's 6-0 drubbing  over  the defending  champs  last  week.  Last  season  Sabr  struggled  to  score  goals,  but  had  no  problem finding  twine  last  week  and  got  contributions  from Yasir  Malik  (hat  trick), Akib  Malik, Amir Hanif,  and Ali  Malik.  I  know  the  season  is  young  but  thus  far  Sabr  has  seemed  to  solved  their defensive/goaltending issues that were their Achilles heel last season, only surrendering one goal in  their  past  two  games.  If  Sabr  continues  to  make  improvements in  their  defensive  zone  and keeps generating offensive chances (as shown in  their first two games against Haya and Ihsan) then they will turn a lot of heads and put the rest of the league on notice. Their opponents this week  is  Taqwa,  who  are  making  their  season  debut.  Not  much is  known  about  this  group  as
they  are  the  new  kids  of  the  block.  With  that  said  they  are at  a  clear  disadvantage  as  all  the other teams' core group played together in the fall season. This newly formed group is not only going  to  have  to  figure  out  how  to  play  as  a  unit  but  also  need  to  figure  out  the  other competition  they  are  up  against.  However,  if  last  week's  scores  revealed  anything,  it  is  this season  might  not  go  as  people  predicted  so  before  passing  any  judgement  let's  give  Taqwa  a chance to prove to us what they got.

11:00 pm: Emaan vs Sabr
The first double header of the season features the hottest teams heading into week three.  The team's  stamina  will  be  put  to  the  test  as  for  both  Emaan  and  Sabr  this  will  be  their second game of the night. It will be interesting to see how this plays out and how minutes are distributed  in  their  first  game.  It  is  easier  said  than  done  to  spread  minutes  out  as  much  as possible, but does that actual happen?  Have the 3rd line and last defensive pairing of each team earned  the  trust  of  their  GMs  so  early  on  in  the  season?  For Sabr  in  particular  this  game  has added  significance  as  Emaan  sent  them  packing  in  the  fall  playoffs.  A  huge  change  from  that game to now is that Sabr did draft Emaan's goalie from  last season, Ahmad Mobin. One could make the argument that this might be advantage for Emaan as they had a full season and know how to beat him. On the contrary, one might argue Sabr has the edge as Mobin has the inside scoop on the Emaan's forwards.

Spring Season - Week Two - March 3rd

9:00pm: Emaan vs Yaqeen
Emaan storms into their second game of the season after drawing a 1-1 equalizer with Ihsan. Despite GM Furqan Salam's absence, the green shirts played a sound game with solid forechecking and a balanced defence in the backend. It's expected the action scale will burst once Emaan's Cambridge line of Salam-Khan-Bijabhai start connecting. Goaltender Yusuf Kapoor is familiar with the movers and shakers within Yaqeen and will look to frustrate the his former squad. Will Emaan be able to revive their goal scoring?

Yaqeen trots into their first game with a concoction of youth and vets. GM Arsalan Mian will rally his troops and try to pry through Emaan's defensive layers, the main defenders being Salman Khalid and Adeel Awan. Yaqeen's threats are in the numbers with Humza Chaudhry, Idrees Deen and Azhar Kalair come into the picture.  Zafar Rashid, Junaid Mohammad and Kashif Taqiuddin will play mentors to the yellow shirts and account towards taming the tribe. Can goaltender Kaunain Saiyed silence Emaan?


10:00pm: Sabr vs Ihsan
Despite tying their last game, Sabr showed some promise and also drew to an even 1-1 score with Haya. Besides the multitude of new faces, the red shirt's main face-plant from last season has been goaltending. GM Naiem Malik quickly plucked netminder Ahmad Mobin and might've struck the jackpot, or did he? Only time will dictate that decision. Offence was an issue last season, but this time there's hope that the advertised Malik's can churn out a winner each week. Can Ahmad Mobin silence Ihsan?

Ihsan stood on it's head against Emaan last time and matched the opposition down to the wire. GM Yousuf Soliman will lead the charge vs the Malik's (Sabr) and will rely on Farrukh Khan and Rayhan Malik to thwart off team red's feisty forwards. Out of the box you got the Soliman's who can score, but where will the secondary scoring come from?  Zaid Majoo is reeling off a championship win and is looking at the big picture one game at a time. Will The Soliman's be able to devour the Malik's and win this family feud?

Taqwa and Haya are off this week.